Return to Gaea
by Amariahellcat
Summary: Four years after the end of the series, Hitomi is happy but still misses Gaea and the people she left behind. But when Van's advisors threaten to force a marriage, and Yukari leaves for England, can Hitomi finally follow her heart back to Gaea? VanxHitomi
1. Chapter 1: Together but Apart

**Authors Note:** Hey there. No one from this fandom (is there still a fandom? I don't even know) will know me, because this is the first time I've ever written an Escaflowne based fanfiction. In truth, I've wanted to for years, but now is the first time I've ever felt my writing style and imagination were up to the task. A few friends and me just finished marathoning the entire series, and I felt compelled, after all these years, to write a continuation, because I _still_ hate that Hitomi leaves in the end.

That said, I pray that I can keep all the characters _in_ character, as I'm used to writing Jak fanfiction and original fiction only, pretty much. Anyone who is reading TAE: Book4 and TLC, I promise I'm not abandoning them; I just haven't had a chance to write more for them. Likewise with my Princess Tutu fic; it _will_ be updated, I just don't know when. THAT STANDS FOR THIS AS WELL. I go back to school in a week, _and_ I work part time, _and_ I need to work on Faerietale (my novel-in-progress), so I can't give guarantees on update times. I will, however, try not to wait months before updating.

And now, just one last note: I have _no_ idea how the school system works in Japan, where Hitomi is from, and so the school system mentioned here is based off the one in Canada. Either way, I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review if you read this and like it. I love getting feedback on my writing! Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter One: Together but Apart**

_Count it in your head; keep track of where you're going, where your feet fall, the other runners around you. Never leave your designated lane, never slow your pace till crossing the finishing line, pay attention only to the track and the beating of your heart, the pumping of your legs, the swinging of your arms; focus on the run, the shear motion of it, the adrenaline in your veins. Think of the pendant; a perfect time keeper. Focus on that and keep yourself steady until the very end, feet falling in accurately timed places, never faster, never slower. Focus…_

She could see Van in her head then, flashing her that quirky grin and lifting an eyebrow in amusement. _You're so focused when you run_, he'd told her once, having caught on to her thoughts during her first track meet after returning to Earth, _you sound like you're conducting an orchestra._

_No less then you do when you're training,_ she remembered retorting, smiling haughtily even though he couldn't see her, even though _she_ couldn't see _him_. It was just so easy to picture him in her mind, knowing the expression he would be wearing, even if she could never see him when they spoke.

That conversation had been long ago, however, and Hitomi merely chanted her mantra over and over in her head as she ran the familiar track behind the school, following it to a T and crossing the finish line first yet again. Her experiences on Gaea had left with something, after all; the brunette was faster then she'd ever been before.

Excited cheering rang out from the sidelines of the track, despite the fact that it was only the two of them there. Hitomi automatically knew who it was, flashing her red headed friend a smile. Yukari was as nutty as ever, and Hitomi thanked Gaea.

Four years had passed since her time on the other world, but her memories of it hadn't become any duller. The now nineteen year-old was a college freshman, taking a general arts program at a school that had been paid for by a track scholarship; she worked hard, enjoyed her classes, but felt no real attachment to the subjects she was learning other then mythology.

"It sounded interesting." She'd told her mother, and, thankfully, the older Kanzaki had let her do as she pleased. Track was still her major hobby, though the only times she was ever on the familiar old track behind her high school was when she and Yukari went there alone, needing to let out some stress or to just have some fun once in a while. The red head was more than happy to tag along, and Hitomi was happy to have the company.

Life was… simple. Gaea had been the most interesting period of her life, Hitomi admitted, but though she didn't miss the war or confusing emotions that went with her brief time there, she _did_ miss the planet itself. She missed Fanelia and longed to see the now complete city; she missed Millerna and Allen and Gaddes and Prince Cheid, hell, she even missed the mole man and Merle!

Most of all, she missed Van.

Or rather, she missed actually being _with_ Van; being able to see him, to see his expressions play out on his handsome face, to be able to touch him, even if only for an instant on the hand or shoulder. They could talk, had _been_ talking ever since she'd left, but that was all. She missed the warmth he'd always seemed to give off, the feeling of safety that overwhelmed her in his presence, the way his wings could become a shield to protect them from everything around them.

The mental connection helped, of course. If she could at least _talk_ to the man she loved, she could keep from going insane, but deep down, the brunette knew it wouldn't be good enough for forever. One day, likely sooner than later, it wouldn't be enough.

For now, though, Hitomi only smiled when Yukari tossed a water bottle at her, catching it with ease and taking a long, satisfying swig of it. The red head seemed amused, her eyebrows up and the corners of her lips quirked in a secret little smirk. "What?"

"Thinking of _him_ again, Hitomi?" when her friend turned pink, Yukari only snickered, "You're so _obvious_, 'Tomi, honestly."

Yukari and her mother were the only people Hitomi had told about her time on Gaea; her mother because… well, she thought she deserved to know, and Yukari because she believed her friend wouldn't just write her off as being crazy. Thankfully, she had been right; both said they believed her, and promised to keep what they'd been told a secret. Yukari had consequently taken it upon herself to tease her friend about Van every chance she got.

"It's not like I can _help_ it." Hitomi grumbled, glad Van wasn't listening right now; he was busy, off in a meeting that she couldn't remember the reason behind, "Besides, you're the same way when you're thinking about _Amano_, Yukari!"

"To true." The red head gave a wistful sigh, then winked at her friend, grin still in place, "So, all done for today, Hitomi? I don't know about you, but _I_ have homework I need to get started on!"

"Oh, _shit_." The brunette almost wanted to smack herself, "I totally forgot I have a mini-essay due tomorrow, crap. I guess running just makes me kinda forgetful."

"_I'll_ say!" Yukari teased, linking arms with her friend, laughing as they crossed under the bleachers towards the school, "But that's just one of your charms, Hitomi. Anyways, homework awaits; see you in class tomorrow?"

"You bet!"

xXxXxXxXxXx

"And, done." Hitomi hit 'print' on her computer and sighed in relief when the essay slid out onto the paper tray, turning the thing off with an air of victory. It hadn't been a very long essay, thankfully, and she had managed to finish it within two hours of arriving home. Van had still been busy with his meeting, so there hadn't been any distractions for once, either. Not that she _minded_ having him as a distraction; it was just easier to get things done when she _didn't_.

Hitomi let her head rest against her computer desk, sighing again as she reached for her mental connection with Van, testing to see if he was open and available to talk. She was thrilled to find that he was, indeed, done with his meeting, his mind open and waiting for some contact from her. She nudged his mind with her own, just letting him know she was there without bothering to say anything, sighing again as she felt the tension from writing the essay draining away.

Perceptive as ever when it came to her moods, Van noticed the touch and the sigh and responded immediately, _Hitomi? Are you alright?_

_Just tired_, she sighed in reply, eyes closed, _And very, very sick of essays._

She heard Van chuckled and imagined his lips quirked in a grin, which in turn made her smile, _You'll be done soon, Hitomi. Your… summer break is coming up, isn't it?_

He'd been steadily learning all the terms and names she used for things in her world, and what time of the year meant what; now, when she mentioned something about school, he would know what she was talking about, and she loved him all the more for it. _Yeah, in two months. I don't know if I'll make it that long._

_You will._ He sounded so confidant in her that her heart thumped a little louder. _If I can survive all these meetings with the advisors, you can survive your school for another two months._

_What are all the meetings about, Van?_ He'd been forced into so many lately she was beginning to wonder what they were about.

_The usual._ Was his vague reply, meaning he didn't want to talk about it, _Merle says to tell you she misses you, by the way. _

_Tell her I miss her, to,_ Hitomi couldn't help but grin, picturing the cat-girl in her mind, _How is she?_

_She chased off another princess._ Van admitted sheepishly.

It didn't surprise her; she knew that Van's advisors had been arranging for princesses from various countries to come and visit in the hopes that the King would choose a bride. Van had been adamant from the start that he wanted nothing to do with their plans, and Hitomi believe and trusted in him. Not to mention that Merle was doing a marvelous job of chasing them all off.

_How many is that now, four?_

_Five. _

Hitomi couldn't help the laugh that escaped her then, the mental image of the pink-haired cat girl chasing off yet another royally-dressed girl making her crack up. _Tell her to keep up the good work._

_I will._

Hitomi yawned then, realizing what time it was. Not wanting to end their conversation so soon, the brunette simply went about getting ready for bed, remembering what it was she had wanted to ask him, _How is Millerna, Van? And Dryden and Cheid?_

_Millerna is expecting their first child._

_Really? That's great! _A year earlier, Hitomi had faked sick to get out of school so she could stay home and be connected to Van during the Asturian princess's second wedding. It wasn't as fulfilling as actually _being_ there would have been, but Millerna had apparently been ecstatic to know that Hitomi had, in a way, been a part of the wedding.

Dryden had returned a some-what changed man; more serious but still mostly the same as ever. He had re-proposed, and Millerna had accepted. Van had given her a play-by-play of the wedding, and Hitomi had almost been able to hear the cheers of the people herself as the princess and her husband kissed to seal their bond. To hear they were expecting made her happy, _I wish I could be there to give her a big hug! Congratulate her for me when you have a chance, will you Van?_

_Of course._ He sounded pleased, but suddenly sleepy, as though he'd only just realized the time himself. _You know… no, never mind. It's getting late._

_What?_ Hitomi wasn't about to let him get away with that half statement, even though her own mind was slowly beginning to shut down as she flicked off the light and crawled into bed.

Van was silent for a moment, and when his thoughts did come through they were very soft, somewhat melancholy, _I miss you, Hitomi. I wish you could see Fanelia now._

_I miss you, to, Van. I'll see it someday, I promise._ And she meant it, from the bottom of her heart.

_Okay. Good night, Hitomi; I'll talk to you tomorrow._

_Okay; good night, Van._

Their mental connection lasted a few moments longer before disappearing, Van probably having fallen asleep before her. Hitomi only smiled, snuffled deeper into her blankets, and closed her eyes, drifting off into dreams of her winged King and the beautiful country of Fanelia.


	2. Chapter 2: Duties of a King

**Authors Note:** Okay, so, guys? DON'T EXPECT UPDATES TO ALWAYS BE THIS FAST! I just happen to have a bit of time right now and the muses were still going strong, so I decided to get this chapter out while I still have LOTS OF INSPIRATION and time and yeah. This way at least you have something to keep you going till the next update, which SHOULDN'T be this quick! Also, again, please remember I'm basing the school system off of CANADA'S because I have NO IDEA how Japan's works! Also, to my awesome reviewers:

**Lehrin:** Thank you so much, I'm glad you think I'm sticking to the anime! I'm trying my best, and that makes me feel better! And honestly, your English seems fine, but if you would rather review in French feel free! I myself can't actually read it, but if it's easier for you I'd be fine with translating it to English myself :) Thanks for the review!

**Matxiuda: **Thank you! I'm glad you like the concept _and_ my writing style, lol! Thanks so much for the review!

**Tasha: **Oh hai thar Tasha, didn't expect a review from _you_. Lol I kid. I'm glad you think I'm doing them right, cause I always worry I'm _not_ writing canon characters IC! XD Enjoy the chapter!

**Canadianat22:** Lol glad you like it, you'll get your FT chapter soon enough~

And now, enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter Two: Duties of a King**

For once, Van was extremely relieved that Hitomi was too busy to contact or listen to him right now; if the advisors didn't shut up _very soon_, he was going to _snap_.

It had been two months since Merle had chased off the last princess - a haughty, blonde haired girl from some smaller country off the cost of Zaibach- with threats of disfigurement. Two quiet, peaceful months that he'd been able to spend talking to Hitomi and his actual _friends_ on Gaia, rather than having to be bothered with some stuck up royal.

He'd hoped –no, _prayed_- that it had meant the advisors were giving up on trying to force him to pick a bride, but the current meeting proved his hopes had been in vain. They'd simply been biding their _time_.

"Lord Van," one of the eldest spoke up, though he eyed the younger man warily, "It is in the best interests of Fanelia and her people that you take a bride and produce an heir as soon as possible. The war has been over for four years-"

"And we've only _finally_ finished rebuilding Fanelia." Van's voice bordered on icy, "I don't see what the rush is."

"It is precisely _because_ Fanelia has been finished that we are concerned with this matter, Lord Van!" one of the other advisors piped up, "The people have _time_ to consider such things now, as do we. They will wonder why it is that their king has remained alone and heirless!"

"Indeed, it would surely be easier for you to hold your place as King if you were to wed and have an heir on the way, my Lord."

"I'm only _nineteen_." Van's hands were clenched into fists beneath the table, his temper beginning to rise, "Surely the people would understand if I waited a _few_ years!"

"Your father was your age when he met and wedded Lady Varie," the eldest spoke up again, trying to keep his calm, "And your brother, Folken, was born very soon afterwards."

"That's _different_," now his hands were shaking, as though he wanted to hit something, "Mother and Father _chose_ each other; they weren't _forced_ into getting married!"

"We are not _forcing_ you to choose, Lord Van," the man who spoke dared to _smile_, "We are simply providing _choices_!"

"Yes yes, and speaking of," another nodded to himself, fingering his beard, "The princess Leila of Basram will be arriving within the month; she was very excited to be invited, and we believe she is more your type then the others have-"

"NO!" Van was on his feet suddenly, eyes flaming furiously; he'd had enough of this crap, "The only woman that will _ever_ stand beside me as my queen is the seer from the Mystic Moon, and I will have _no other_!"

With that he whirled and stalked out of the meeting room, leaving the advisors to stare after him, stunned, before _slamming_ the great doors and striding away. It was only once his temper had cooled slightly that he slowed, sighing and putting a hand over his eyes for a moment, face turning a light shade of red. Again he thanked whatever Gods were listening that Hitomi had been busy with her exams and thus had _not_ been able to listen in, as he would have been completely _mortified_ had she heard his little outburst.

Not that it wasn't true. Van had realized quite quickly after she'd left that Hitomi was the only woman he would _ever _want as his queen; no one else could ever hope to compare. They had shared far too much in the time she had been on Gaea for him to even _consider_ looking at another woman. Until she returned (and Van believed with all his heart that she _would_, some day), Van would remain a solo ruler.

Finally reaching his own rooms, the young king let the door close behind him with a _click_ before trudging over to the window, letting his more formal-wear drop to the floor as he moved. All that he left on was his usual tan pants, taking a seat on the window-ledge in order to stare up at the Mystic Moon. It was bright, even in the mid-afternoon sky, and he couldn't help but smile, just faintly. Hitomi would be done her exams soon, and then he would be able to forget about the meeting with the advisors for a while-

"Lord Van? Are you in heeeere?"

The familiar voice snapped Van from his thoughts, crimson eyes going to the door and softening just slightly, "Hey, Merle; since when d'you knock?"

"Lord Vaaaaaan!" the cat-girl was a pink blur, though she didn't fully tackle him anymore; instead she latched onto his arm, curling up beside him on the ledge, "I didn't know if you were back let, Lord Van! I didn't want to burst in if you _weren't_!"

"Of course." It was such a 'Merle' reply that Van couldn't help but laugh, ruffling his foster-sisters hair. Then he paused, grimacing, "Get ready to chase off another princess, Merle."

"What!" the cats tail puffed out suddenly, a hiss creeping up her throat, "Who _now_?"

"Someone from Basram, I think they said; she'll be here sometime this month." Now he smirked, lifting an eyebrow, "Can I count on your, Merle?"

"You bet I'll chase that stuck-up royal out! She won't even think twice before running for the hills once _I'm_ through with'er!"

"Thanks; I'll leave it to you, then." Silence reigned for a while after that, Van still watching the bright orb up in the sky while Merle leaned against him, just waiting for some sort of contact from Hitomi.

After a while, Merle sighed, squeezing his arm a bit, "You're thinking about Hitomi, aren't you, Lord Van?"

"Yeah."

"How is she?"

"Good; she said to say hi, by the way. And 'Good work', chasing off all those princesses."

Merle practically glowed with pride at the comment, sitting tall, "Well, I'll just keep chasin'em off till she comes back, then! Tell her to hurry up, Lord Van, we _all_ miss her."

"I know, Merle, I'll tell her." Van sighed again, but both he and Merle jumped slightly when a trumpet went off below, signaling someone had arrived. Van scowled, "Who…"

"Oh! Allen's here!" Merle jumped up, excited as usual, "He said he was coming for a visit, remember, Lord Van? It _must_ be him!"

"Would you go meet him, Merle? Just bring him up here; I would rather speak with him in private."

"You got it, Lord Van!"

The cat-girl was off in a second, making Van laugh and shake his head. Even at seventeen she was as hyper as ever. Oh well.

_Van?_

The king started at the voice in his head, relaxing when he realized who it was. She must have finished her exams when he wasn't paying attention, _Hitomi. Finished your tests?_

_You bet!_ She sounded happier then she had in ages, making him grin, _no more school for four months! Thank Gaea, I was getting sick of it._

_I know._ Van leaned back against the window, relaxing, _What are you going to do while you're off?_

She hesitated for a moment, as if thinking about it, _I'm not really sure, to be honest. I know I promised Yukari I would go to a few things with her, but otherwise, nothing. Get a part time job, maybe, I don't know; I didn't plan that far ahead._

_So I see. _Van almost wanted to ask her to come back to _Gaea_ for the summer, but he kept that thought well hidden. For one thing, there was no guarantee that she would be able to leave again if she came back, and Van didn't know if he would be _willing_ to let her leave him again. It would be far too tempting to just keep her there, with him, forever.

_Van?_ Hitomi snapped him from his thoughts, making him cough and turn red. He hadn't realized he'd been silent for so long.

_Sorry. Merle says hi again, and Allen is actually visiting right now, though I haven't seen him yet. Anything you want me to relay?_

_Just say hi for me, Van, to him and to everyone in Asturia that he'll see. And ask him how Celena is doing, okay?_

_Will do, Hitomi, though I wish you could be here to ask him yourself…_

"Talking to Hitomi, Van?"

The male voice snapped Van from his thoughts, gaze whipping to the tall man that suddenly stood in his room. Seeing his surprised look, Allen smirked, "I take it I'm right."

"Allen; it's good to see you." Though he was vaguely annoyed to have been pulled from his conversation with Hitomi, Van smiled and stood, offering a hand to the older man. The knight accepted, giving it a firm shake, "She says hello, by the way. How have you been?"

Allen Schezar looked the same as ever, if not a little less-menacing then the last time he'd seen him; Van realized that this was because he now stood at the same height as the Caeli Knight. The blonde man retracted his hand, bowing politely before straightening with a smirk.

"Hello to Hitomi as well, Van; I've been good. I've actually come to give you a message from Queen Millerna, but that can wait." The knight nodded once, "Fanelia is as beautiful as it was before the war, Van; you've outdone yourself."

"The _people_ have outdone themselves, Allen, not me. I assume Asturia has been returned to its prior state as well?"

"Of course; it was not nearly as damaged as Fanelia, as you know. Things are finally settling down a bit."

"Yes, here as well." Van motioned his friend into his study, sitting across his desk from him, "Hitomi asked me to ask how Celena is doing, as well. Adjusting well, I hope?"

"Very, tell Hitomi thank you for her concern." Allen settled into the chair, resting his hands on the desk in a very professional manner, "Celena is back to being the little girl I remember from my youth, though… older, of course. She's staying in the palace with Millerna and her sister for the moment, since I've been busy rounding up Zaibach refugees."

"I see, I'll let Hitomi know. We've been routing them out, as well, though so far we've been lucky. Now." Van let himself appear more serious, eying his friend, "What's the message you've brought from Millerna?"

"Queen Millerna expects a visit from you when her child is due, King Van Fanel of Fanelia." Here Allen smirked suddenly, seeming sly, "And she demands that Hitomi Kanzaki, the seer from the Mystic Moon, be present as well. She wishes to name her God Mother, you see."

Van lost all pretense of seriousness then, staring at Allen in disbelief, "You're joking. _That's_ the message? Millerna should know better than anyone that I can't just _force_ Hitomi to come back!"

"None of us believe that you would have to _force_ her, Van. In fact, I'm sure Hitomi would be _thrilled_ to return to Gaea. But you know her best, and are the only one who _could_ bring her back." Now Allen leaned back, seeming pleased with the state he'd put the king in, "You have several months, Van, but you'd best talk to Hitomi now; Millerna is not a nice person when she is displeased."

"I know." Now Van couldn't help but groan, glaring weakly at the amused Knight, "You all live to make my life difficult, don't you, Schezar?"

"Why of course, Fanel; it's what keeps my life interesting."


	3. Chapter 3: Decisions

**Authors Note:** Hey guys! First off, I just want to say I am so, SO SORRY for taking so long to update! School and work and life in general hit me a bit harder than I expected, ugh. Secondly, thank you _so much_ to everyone who reviewed the last two chapters! I certainly didn't expect to get so many comments on this story, but I'm thrilled that people are enjoying it!

I promise, from the bottom of my heart, that I have every intention to finish this story! It may not end up being an overly long one, but I'll make it as long as I find necessary to give Hitomi and Van their happy ending. That being said, please enjoy the chapter; we're jumping a bit ahead here, and I hope that sits well with everyone. I'm also sorry if this chapter ends up being kind of short…

On with the chapter!

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**Chapter Three: Decisions**

To say that Hitomi was bored for most of the second month of her summer break would have been an understatement; the teenager was almost ready to go insane.

May had been filled with trips with Yukari, outings with her mother, and a fairly-enthusiastic hunt for a part-time job. The times spent with Yukari were the best; they'd gone to the zoo, a couple of museums, a water-park, and even a local concert! She'd even been able to stay in contact with Van almost constantly, since he was doing his best to avoid the Basram princess that had come to Fanelia, and Hitomi was more than happy to fill him in on the goings-on of her world.

Once June had rolled around, however, things had changed. Yukari had found a part time job as a waitress at a rather classy restaurant, but Hitomi had had no luck in finding one for herself. Either the places that called back weren't to her liking, or they didn't call back at all. Truth be told, she was almost _glad_ for that fact; every time she had almost been hired, something had coiled itself in the pit of her stomach, telling her to refuse the offer.

It was as though her body was preparing her for something that she was mentally unaware of, though for the longest time she couldn't figure out what it was and eventually just gave up thinking about it altogether. She'd still spent time out with her mother, of course, but even that had become rather draining for the teenager.

The worst part was that she didn't get to talk to Van as much as before, either.

His advisors were adamant that he spend more time with the Basram princess, and, unfortunately, when he was surrounded by people, it wasn't as though he could just zone out to talk to her instead. Not only would they notice, they would probably try to do something about it.

_Merle's been trying to scare her off, but it isn't working so far,_ Van had sighed one night, sounding more tired than he had since the end of the war, _Mainly because the advisors won't leave her alone with the princess._

_They've learned_, Hitomi had all but sighed back, already in bed, _I'm sure things will get better, Van, don't worry._

Now, however, even Hitomi had to admit that the little contact she had with him was wearing thin on her patience. Were she able to, she would've smacked every single advisor over the head for being so relentless in their pestering of Van.

As it stood, however, all she could do was sit at her desk with her head on her arms, staring at the tarot cards piled in front of her. She hadn't done a reading since… well, since leaving Gaea, actually. She had accidentally pulled to many bad fates into place during her time there, and so had no desire to do a reading ever again. Even now, when she was bored and wished she knew what the future would hold, she didn't even think about picking up the deck.

It was better to be ignorant of the future then to unwittingly cause a bad one, she reasoned, sighing and closing her eyes.

Knocking interrupted her sleepy-state only moments later, her mother's voice sounding from behind her, "Hitomi? Yukari's at the door. She said she wanted to talk to you."

"Kay. Tell her I'll be down in a minute."

Hitomi sat up once her mother had left, sighing and getting to her feet. She wasn't exactly dressed for going out, so she went about making herself look decent before heading down the stairs, smiling at the sight of her friend in the doorway, "Hey, Yukari, what's up?"

The redhead smiled back, though in a slightly subdued way, and tilted her head a little, "Hey, can we go for lunch? I need to talk to you."

"Sure. Mom! I'm going for lunch!" Hitomi only paused till her mother shouted back that it was fine, slipping into her sandals and grabbing her purse from the coat rack, "Alright, where to?"

* * *

"I'm moving to England."

Hitomi froze, spoon merely an inch from her mouth, wide green eyes pinned on her best friend. Slowly, carefully, the brunette put the spoon back into her parfait, staring for another moment before managing a shaky "_What_?"

They'd ended up at a little café they'd discovered earlier that summer, chatting about normal things and eating their parfaits. This… this was out of _nowhere_; Yukari hadn't given her a single _hint_ that this was where the conversation was going!

The redhead smiled a little, poking her own dessert with the spoon, "Amano… plans on staying there after he's done school, Hitomi, and he asked me… he asked me to come live with him, to go to school with him there. I said yes." Her smile brightened a little, cheeks flushing excitedly, "My parents are okay with it, and I actually handed in my two-weeks' notice to work a week ago, so everything's basically set up and ready."

"_England_?" Hitomi chocked, still a little overwhelmed. Yukari merely smiled again, nodding.

"Yes, Hitomi, England; I'm leaving next Friday. But that's not all I wanted to talk to you about." The redhead leaned forwards, reaching out to clasp her friend's hands in her own, "Go back to Gaea, Hitomi."

"WHAT?" the brunette couldn't help but jump, startled, though her friend kept a tight hold on her hands, "Yukari, w-why would you-"

"Because now you have very little keeping you here." At her friends flabbergasted look, Yukari turned serious, "Don't think I don't know that me and your mom are basically the only things keeping you on Earth, Hitomi Kanzaki; neither of us are _blind_. You don't really care about school _or_ getting a job, that's plain to see. The only time you look truly happy is when you're talking to _Van_."

"B-but…" Hitomi fumbled for words, face burning, "there's a chance I could never come _back_. I can't just _leave_ you and mom-"

"Yes, you can, because love is worth more than that." Yukari squeezed her hands then, smiling, "Besides, if anyone can figure out a way to travel back and forth, it's _you_, Hitomi. Now, I want you to _promise me_ you'll go back when I leave."

"But-"

"_Promise_!"

Startled and bewildered, Hitomi could only stare and nod, "I-I promise."

* * *

"Mom?" still slightly frazzled, Hitomi all but snuck into the house, looking for her mother. She found her in the kitchen, back towards her, "Mom?"

"Yes, Hitomi?"

"I… I need to talk to you."

Her mother stopped scrubbing the dish in her hands, going silent. When she turned around, Hitomi was surprised to see her smiling, "You're going back?"

"How did you-?"

"Yukari and I had a chat; we just want you to be happy, Hitomi, and Gaea is where you belong, now." The older Kanzaki put the dish down and dried her hands, turning to hold her arms out, "Just promise you'll come visit if you find a way to, alright?"

Hitomi could only laugh and nearly tackle her mother, hugging her tightly, "I promise."

* * *

Packing a bit in advance, Hitomi felt surprisingly lighthearted and happy. She was going back to Gaea.

_She was going back to Gaea._

To her friends from the war, to beautiful Fanelia. To Van.

Which reminded her; in order to get back to Gaea, she would need Van's help, because _he_ had the pendant. Hitomi took a deep breath, preparing herself, before checking the link, _Van_?

_Hitomi?_ He sounded tired again, but relieved as well, _Sorry I've been so… is something wrong?_

_No, no, nothing's wrong! I just… needed to talk to you._

_I need to talk to you, too. I forgot to mention something a while back, but Allen just drilled it into my head again._

The brunette blinked, surprised, _Oh?_

_He had a… strange message from Millerna last time that I need to tell you before she threatens me again._

That just made her laugh, _Okay._

Van sighed before continuing, _Millerna wants you to come back before her child's born; she wants you to be its god mother, Hitomi._

Hitomi couldn't help but gasp, throwing her hands over her mouth even though he couldn't see her. Then she giggled, suddenly elated, _Well, that just makes my decision all the easier!_

_Decision?_ Van was wide awake now, alert and listening, _What decision?_

_I'm coming back, Van,_ she told him happily, blushing and smiling to herself, _I'm coming back to Gaea._


	4. Chapter 4: Coming Home

**Authors Note:** Hi guys, I'm BACK! I am sooooo soooorrrrrrry this took so long! School and exams and UGH. BUT now I'm done! And I'm home today cause I've actually been dizzy all day (I'm still lightheaded tbh) but I wanted to work on SOMETHING (cause lord knows I have millions of stories I need to work on/finish ugh) so I rewatched the last three episodes of Escaflowne, reread the past three chapters, and here I am!

One thing I want to make clear to everyone; this story will not be long, and it will not have any major drama. Why? Because SO MANY Escaflowne fics that I've read over the years have been all DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA. Like, can we not just have a somewhat _peaceful_ addition to the series? Must EVERYTHING be dark and depressing and DRAMATIC? NO! Which is one of my reasons for writing this! I wanted something that DIDN'T have Hitomi and Van's connection disappearing, that didn't make a villain out of any of the side characters, and that DIDN'T involve Van already being married, or being changed, or Hitomi being suicidal or depressed. Just... _ugh_. I do like twists and _minor_ drama, as you'll see in this chapter, but nothing... MAJOR, ugh.

NOW. I've ranted for long enough, I think. And, again, I PROMISE I will finish this story! No matter how short it may end up being, or how long it takes me, it will be completed! And you guys better be thankful; I was going to leave this chapter at a worse cliffhanger then I did, but decided to be nice! ;) Happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter Four: Coming Home**

It had been a week since that fateful day, and Hitomi found herself at the airport with her mother and Yukari, wondering where the time had gone. It seemed like just _yesterday_ that Yukari had revealed her plans for leaving, just yesterday that she had _demanded_ Hitomi return to Gaea. Things had moved so quickly that they seemed almost a blur, thinking back.

Van had immediately agreed to help her get back to Gaea, of course; he'd reacted as soon as the thoughts had been sent to him, more excited than Hitomi had heard him be in a long, long time.

Hitomi hadn't had the _time_ to be excited, yet! She'd been so busy tying up loose ends and making sure everything was done and ready that, until now, she hadn't had a second to even stop and think!

The _first_ thing she'd done after talking to Van was call her University and drop out. She'd said she was moving to England; it wasn't as though they would _check_, anyways, students dropped out fairly frequently. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Besides, even if they _did_ ever try to check in, Yukari had promised to cover for her.

Tying up loose ends was easy, to; Hitomi had never managed to get that part time job, she didn't volunteer anywhere, and the only friends she had remained close to were Yukari and, _through_ Yukari, Amano!

The week had been spent enjoying her remaining time with Yukari and her mom, packing the few things she wanted to take with her, and going over the arrangements with Van. He hadn't told his advisors what was going on, but everyone else knew; Merle had upped her efforts at chasing off the Basram princess, and Allen and his crew were remaining in Fanelia until she arrived so that they could all visit Millerna together.

Was she happy? Yes. Was she nervous? _Hell_ yes. She would miss her mother dearly, Yukari as well. But... her friend was right. Yukari herself would be in another country even if she _did_ stay on Earth, and her mother seemed _sure_ Hitomi would find a way to visit, so... what choice did she have?

Now, though, she felt as though she were about to cry. Yukari's parents had already wished their daughter well and were in the process of getting her luggage onto the proper cart, leaving the two girls alone to say goodbye. Hitomi felt rather frozen at the prospect of saying goodbye to her best friend, hands clenched at her sides.

Yukari, reading her as easily as ever, merely smiled and stepped forwards to hug the taller girl, giving her a squeeze, "Promise me you'll be happy."

The words snapped Hitomi from her daze, the brunette laughing a little weakly and returning the hug, eyes squeezing shut, "You, too. I promise I'll figure out how to visit."

"You better!" Yukari pulled back, grinning wickedly, "Or I'll just have to find a way to get up _there_ and kick your ass!"

"You would, too!" Hitomi laughed, wiping away the few tears that had managed to slip out, trying to smile.

"_Now boarding flight 120 to England, repeat, flight 120 to England."_ The announcement rang out over the airport, disrupting the girls' goodbye, _"All passengers please make your way to loading dock 3, repeat, all passengers please make your way-"_

"Well, I gotta go." Yukari stepped back, still smiling, "I'll miss you, Hitomi. Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I'll miss you, to," Hitomi nodded, smile turning watery, "Take care."

The redhead nodded back, saluted jokingly, and then turned to walk away, hurrying to the designated gate. She paused right before entering, turned around with a big grin, and shouted "YOU BETTER INVITE ME TO THE WEDDING!"

"YUKARI!" Hitomi turned red, but her friend had already disappeared through the gate, leaving her alone with her mother.

The older woman merely laughed at her daughters face, patting her on the shoulder, "Come on, Hitomi, we've got work to do."

* * *

"All ready?" Mrs. Kanzaki looked Hitomi over one more time, reached out to straighten her shirt a bit, and smiled, "Are you sure you don't want to dress up a bit more, Hitomi? You haven't _seen_ him in four years, wouldn't that make sense?"

"If it were anyone but Van, yes," Hitomi returned the smile, hiking her duffle a little higher on her shoulder, "I've only ever seen Van dressed up _once_, and he wouldn't expect me to dress up for this. The two times I've done this before, I was in track clothes. Even _this_ is an improvement."

It was finally time to go; everything had been arranged. Hitomi was wearing a decent t-shirt, comfy jeans and her most reliable pair of runners; nothing fancy, just like every other time she'd gone to Gaea. Her trusty duffle bag had been stuffed with favoured clothing items, necessities, and the cell phone her mother had made her _swear_ she would bring with her, just in case. There were also two pictures in the bag; the one of she, Amano and Yukari, and one of she and her mother.

"Take care of yourself. And promise you'll try to find a way to visit, alright?" her mother gave a watery smile before pulling Hitomi in for a hug, obviously holding back tears, "Be happy, Hitomi. It sounds like you've found a wonderful match, and I pray you share as much happiness with him as I did with your father."

"I will." Hitomi squeezed her mother tightly, fighting back tears of her own. "I promise, Mom, I'll be happy, and I'll visit. Van and I will find a way, I know it. I'll be back."

"I know." The older woman sighed, squeezed her daughter again, and pulled back "Well, you'd best head to the track. Do you want me to come with you?"

"I think I'd better go alone." Hitomi kissed her mother on the cheek, checked her duffle one more time, and headed for the door, smiling over her shoulder, "I'll be back, mom, I promise!"

"Be happy, Hitomi."

"Okay." Hitomi sighed, looking around with a sad smile as she stepped onto the track, knowing it would likely be the last time she would see it for a while, "Let's get this over with."

She stopped right in the centre of the track, clearing her mind of any thoughts but those of Gaea. She wouldn't be running this time; the only reason she'd even come to the track was so that Van would have a clear picture of the area in his mind when he reached for her.

_Van?_ She called mentally, fidgeting with her duffle, _Are you there?_

_Hitomi!_ He sounded thrilled, her heart thumping a little at the tone of his voice, _Is Yukari gone?_

_Yes, she left earlier today. I just said goodbye to my Mom._ The brunette pushed any sadness away, focussing on Van, _I'm ready_.

They'd come up with a plan to make sure that Van wouldn't be disturbed while he was reaching for her. It was early evening, and so Van had claimed he wasn't feeling very well and had left dinner early to retreat to his chambers. Allen was to keep the advisors busy with talk of the Zaibach refugees that had been rounded up that week, while Merle took princess Leila and her guardians on a tour of the gardens, claiming they were the most beautiful at this time of the day.

Two guards were even stationed at the door to his rooms, grinning to each other while watching for intruders. Literally _everyone_ in Fanelia, except the advisors, knew what was going on, and they were all willing to help their king bring the seer back from the Mystic Moon.

Van himself would be on the balcony of his rooms, the widest of all the palaces balconies and one of the best places to see the Mystic Moon in Fanelia.

_Okay_, Van was silent for a moment before speaking again, serious, _Just... think of Gaea, Fanelia... wish to be here, and I'll do the same on this end._

_Okay._ Hitomi clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, letting out a sigh. She thought of Gaea, of Asturia and Fanelia and all of her friends there, of Van. She wished as hard as she could to be back there amongst them, to be able to see Millerna's baby when it was born, to chase Merle around as she had in her younger days, to joke around with Allen and his crew.

Most importantly, to be with Van.

_Please._ She wished, pleading with whatever God might be listening to fulfil that wish, to send her back, _I want to go back. I want to see Fanelia and its people, I want to see my friends. I want to be with Van!_

_Hitomi..._

The pillar of light flared around her suddenly, shooting up into the sky and connecting with the invisible planet of Gaea. Hitomi kept her eyes closed as she felt herself being lifted into the air, making sure she had a good hold on her duffle so that it wouldn't disappear. Smiling, she bid Earth farewell, laughing as she was drawn into the sky and away. _Van, I'm coming!_

* * *

_Please, bring Hitomi back to me. I can't stand not having her here anymore._ Van was wishing just as hard as Hitomi was, eyes closed and hands clasped over the pendent she had left in his care.

He heard her words at the same time as the pendent became warm, giving off the same feeling it had every other time Hitomi had used its power. Still he kept his eyes closed, continuing to wish as hard as he could to have her with him, to give her a safe journey, to make sure she would get there alright. _Please..._

"Lord Van, the pillar!"

The shout made his eyes snap open, seeking out the pillar of light. He rushed to the edge of the balcony, staring in disbelief. Merle was below with the princess and her guardians, all staring at the great pillar of light.

It had worked; Hitomi was coming back! But... the pillar was far away. _Too_ far away. It should have landed exactly where Van was, on the balcony, or at the very least somewhere nearby, but... Van wasn't even sure _where_ it had landed. And the pillar was...

"It's going away!" Merle exclaimed, almost running in circles she was so worried, "Where is she, Lord Van? Where's Hitomi? What happened?"

_Hitomi?_ Van tried to send, grip on the railing tightening when he didn't get a response, "Hitomi? Hitomi?"

Nothing. The young kings breath hitched, eyes darting over the horizon desperately, searching.

"HITOMI?"

* * *

Bright light filtered through Hitomi's eyelids, making the girl groan and cover her eyes with her hand. She stayed like that for a few seconds before gasping and shooting up in bed, eyes darting around the unfamiliar room.

_What happened?_ She thought, about to panic, _I should be in Fanelia-wait. This room..._

Looking closer at the room she was in, it _did_ look familiar. The designs weren't Fanelian, they were-

"Finally awake, I see?" an even more familiar voice commented, startling her, "We were starting to worry, Hitomi, honestly!"

Gaze snapping to the doorway, the brunette brightened immediately, "Millerna!"

The rather pregnant Asturian Queen smiled, slowly making her way over to the bed, "We were rather surprised when the pillar of light dropped you in our courtyard, Hitomi, especially when we saw you were unconscious! I would have thought you'd have landed in Fanelia, though I'm not complaining." The blonde woman grinned brilliantly then, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed in order to hug her friend, "I get to see you first this way!"

Hitomi could only laugh, returning the hug, "It's good to see you, to, Millerna! You're huge! When are you due?"

"In about a month, so you came just in time." Millerna pulled back, lifting an eyebrow, "Though I imagine your raven haired king is rather concerned about you."

"Van!" Hitomi smacked herself on the forehead, struggling to untangle herself from her covers and stand, "Shoot, Millerna, d'you mind if I-?"

"Go right ahead, Hitomi." Millerna laughed at the frazzled girl, "Go contact him before he has any panic attacks."

Hitomi merely smiled her thanks and hurried out onto the balcony of the room, staring out in the direction she was fairly certain Fanelia was in and reaching with her mind, hoping their connection was still intact even on Gaea, _Van?_

* * *

_Van?_

The sudden voice in his mind made Van snap up in his seat, eyes wide, "Hitomi?"

Everyone else at the table froze, staring at the king. Merle jumped from her seat, tail wagging anxiously, "Did she contact you, Lord Van? Is Hitomi okay?" Allen looked ready to say something as well, though he held his tongue.

"H-hold on." The raven haired king took a deep breath before reaching for their connection, anxiety easing when he found it easily, _Hitomi? What happened, where are you? Are you alright?_

_I'm fine, Van!_ She was laughing, which meant she was alright; Van slumped in relief, _I don't know what happened, but I passed out while in the pillar, apparently. I'm on Gaea, Van; I made it!_

_Where?_ He didn't mean to sound desperate, but his lack of knowledge was all that still had him in his seat.

_Asturia, Van. I landed in Asturia! I'm with Millerna at the palace._ He could _hear_ her smile, could practically _see_ her in front of him, _Come get me soon, okay?_

Van practically jumped from his seat, flashing a grin at Merle and Allen before heading for the doors, his two friends immediately following after.

"Lord Van!" his advisors shouted, jumping from the table in an attempt to follow, "Where are you going?"

"To Asturia!"

"Why?"

The king stopped at the door in order to flash them the brightest grin he'd worn since four years before, "To bring Hitomi home.


	5. Chapter 5: LongAwaited Reunion

**Authors Note:** Okay, first off, I just want to say: I AM SO SORRY GUYS OMG I DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE THIS LONG TO UPDATE D: I just... lost the will to write when summer hit! I haven't even worked on any of my original stuff, and it's been driving me crazy. The last thing I meant to do was to make you all wait so long for this chapter. I'm sorry! So I'm going to do my very best to make sure it's a really good one! Enjoy and please don't kill me! DX

Also, just want to say: THIS IS NOT THE END. The end is coming soonish, but this isn't it. Okay? Okay!

* * *

**Chapter Five: Long-Awaited Reunion**

As soon as Hitomi had announced she was in Asturia, Van and his comrades had set to work. The Fanelian king had raced through the paperwork he'd been given and took care of every bit of business as quickly as he could, packing for their trip the second he was free to do so.

Merle had been given the task of keeping anyone who tried to interrupt or stop him a way, a job she had been proven to excel at. This mainly meant keeping his advisors and the Basram emissaries out of his hair, a task made easy by the fact that Merle could play the crazy cat at a drop of a coin. Princess Leila was, surprisingly, uninterested in seeing Van; if anything, she was much more determined to meet the famed seer from the Mystic Moon, and constantly bothered Merle with questions of the older girl.

Allen had had the Crusade prepped as soon as he knew where Hitomi was, his crew ready to leave as soon as they were given the order. Likewise, he had helped Van get through all his paperwork, delivering certain decisions when Van himself was unable to leave the castle to do so.

All three were eager to be going, and so as soon as the very last paper was signed, Van rushed from the castle, Merle hot on his heels, carrying two tiny bags of luggage and ignoring the shouts of the advisors and emissaries behind them. Dressed in the same red shirt and khaki pants he'd been wearing when they first met, sword at his hip, the young king barrelled up the gangplank of the Crusade, sharing a wicked grin with its captain at the top.

"All ready, Allen?"

The blonde man grinned and nodded, whirling to motion to his crew, "Lift off, men! To Asturia!"

The crew gave a loud cheer, the ship immediately lifting from the ground and ascending into the air, turning towards Asturia.

The trip would take a week, but it would be well worth the distance.

He just couldn't wait to see Hitomi again...

* * *

Meanwhile, Hitomi had been spending her time with Millerna, getting reacquainted with the people and ways of Asturia. Dryden was as dashing as ever, though somewhat calmer because of the baby. He'd wanted to know about everything that had happened on the 'Mystic Moon' since she'd left, a conversation Millerna wouldn't let her out of since she wanted to know, too.

Millerna's older sister, Eries, was surprisingly nice, though Hitomi could only assume it was because Millerna had finally calmed down. Under her care was young Celena, Allen's sister, who turned out to be curious about everything and anything having to do with the Mystic Moon. Surprisingly, Duke Cheid was also in Asturia, likely for when his aunt gave birth, and the now older blonde man (who looked even more like Allen now) was eager to hear about her home world as well.

Her days fell into a pattern of sorts; she would spend most of her time with Millerna and Celena, would visit with Cheid, and would spend her evenings talking with Van through their mental link.

Hitomi also found that being back on Gaea meant her visions returned, though to a much lesser degree. They couldn't even really be called visions, more just... hunches, feelings. It had been at dinner the very first night after she'd woken up that she'd gotten a sudden, intense feeling, shivers racing up and down her spine. It had been so strong that Van had noticed it through their link, immediately asking if she was alright.

She'd assured him she was fine, her gaze sneaking to the pregnant princess laughing beside her. Millerna had said she wasn't due for another month, but Hitomi had no doubt in her mind that the baby wouldn't wait that long.

And, just as she'd thought, what she'd 'seen' happened on the fourth night of her stay.

The dinner dishes were just being cleared from the table when Millerna gave a quiet gasp, hunching over in her seat. Hitomi, sitting at her right, noticed immediately and stood, putting a hand on her friends shoulder, "Millerna?"

"Hi...tomi..." the princess whispered, clutching her swollen belly, "The baby..."

"Millerna!" Dryden was at his wife's side in an instant, helping her stand before shouting for the castles midwives, scooping the princess up and hurrying out of the room with Hitomi and Eries hot on his tail.

* * *

_Van! Millerna's giving birth!_

"She's _what_?" Van accidentally spoke out loud, everyone else in the room turning to stare at him.

"Lord Van?" Merle questioned, startled, "What's wrong?"

"Millerna's giving birth."

"WHAT?" every member of the crew jumped in surprise, staring at the king. Van just shrugged.

"Hitomi just told me..." Van licked his lips, making sure he actually _sent_ his thoughts this time, _I thought she wasn't due for another month?_

_Apparently the baby wanted out early. Oh... oh god, it's coming!_ Hitomi sounded so excited and anxious Van wondered where she'd gotten the energy, _I-I can see it... oh wow, this is... I'll talk to you later Van!_

The connection was cut so quickly it left Van feeling empty. Never one to show weakness, he shook himself from his daze and grinned at Allen, the blonde man having come over as soon as he heard what Hitomi had said, "I guess this has turned out to be an exciting week, huh?"

* * *

"Congratulations, princess Millerna, Dryden," the midwife smiled and passed the squirming bundle to its mother, bowing as she backed up, "It's a healthy baby girl."

"She's gorgeous, Millerna." Hitomi smiled down at the little princess, leaning over her friends shoulder. The baby had definitely gotten Millerna's colouring; she was pale skinned and blonde haired, two huge blue eyes staring up at them curiously.

"She is." Millerna agreed, tired but happy, "And I know just what I'm going to name her."

"Oh?"

"Hitomi."

Hitomi blinked, staring at her friend, "What?"

The princess merely beamed, "I said, I'm naming her Hitomi, after her amazing godmother." She looked behind her, smiling and linking hands with Dryden, "We agreed on it ages ago. You've done so much for all of us, Hitomi; this little miracle wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for you. It seems only fair."

"Millerna, you... you don't have to-"

"I _want_ to." Millerna smiled at her friend again, "Okay?"

Hitomi smiled brilliantly, feeling like she was going to cry, "Okay."

* * *

The rest of the week passed by uneventfully. By the time the day came that Van and the others would be arriving, Hitomi had so much nervous energy she thought she was going to burst.

And so, when it was announced that the Crusade had been spotted near the outskirts of the city, Hitomi had taken off.

Wearing her trusty track clothes and runners, the brunette had gone for a long, well needed jog, racing around the areas of Asturia that she remembered, areas that she didn't, and areas that she wished she could forget.

She wanted to see Van again, she really, truly did, but... before, she hadn't had time to _think_ about anything. She'd thought she would land in Fanelia and be with him, immediately. Having a week to think things over before hand? Left her feeling nervous and very, very unsure.

She loved him. That had been obvious since she'd left Fanelia four years before. And he loved her... she thought. Why else would he want her back so badly? But... they'd never said anything about it, really. It had been alluded to, everyone _else_ seemed to be sure of it, but now she was stressed out and worried that things weren't as peachy as they seemed.

And so, she ran.

Running had always been her way of de-stressing; it gave her an outlet for all her nervous energy and forced her to focus on where she was going rather than the things happening around her.

It even kept her from spotting the Crusade as it passed, her back turned to the city.

* * *

Van, however, spotted her almost immediately.

He'd been looking out the windows of the Crusade, anxious to get to the palace, when he'd noticed a figure running down below them. It had only taken him a moment to recognize the brown hair and gym clothes before he raced for the hatch, tearing his shirt off as he ran.

"Allen! Release the hatch!"

"Van, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting Hitomi!"

Allen paused, stared at the king, and then grinned, grabbing the release switch and slamming it down in one smooth movement, "Go get her, then."

The raven haired king only grinned before throwing himself from the hatch.

Van let himself fall for several seconds before grimacing and forcing his wings out, steadying himself in the air. Spotting her again, he dove, waiting till he was within her hearing range to shout "**Hitomi!**"

* * *

"Hitomi!"

The brunette froze mid-run when she heard her name shouted by that familiar voice, heart racing. She turned, looked to the sky, and gasped, immediately darting back in the direction she had just come from.

It was Van! Van, flying towards her, looking the same but so much older, Van whose wings had always saved her from death, Van, Van, "Van-!"

He opened his arms at the same moment that she jumped, catching her even as they collided. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, hers going around his neck to hold on, neither entirely sure that the other was real.

Van lifted them into the air, holding her tightly but gently, burying his nose in her hair and breathing in deeply. She was here, and she was real. "Hitomi..."

The brunette said nothing, just clinging to him and praying that this wasn't a dream.

She was home.


	6. Chapter 6: Together Again

**Authors Note:** H-hi guys. Um... don't kill me, okay? I am sooo sorry that this took me so long! DX It was never my intention to wait so long to update, arg. Life kind of got in the way. However, it is my new goal to finish this story in January! There's only one or two more chapters left after this one anyways, so it shouldn't be too hard to do. Either way, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Six: Together Again**

When she had returned to Earth four years ago, Hitomi had believed she would likely never see Gaea again. She was, after all, from Earth, a stranger in the medieval societies of Gaea and its people. She had believed that she would never see Van again, that talking to him through their mental connection was the only way she could remain a part of his life and he of hers.

Now, wrapped in his arms and floating high above the ground, face buried in his shoulder, Hitomi had never been happier that she had been wrong.

Strange as it may have seemed to anyone else, the first thing she noticed about him was his scent; that strong smell of the fields that had remained the same as when she'd first met him, so many years ago.

It made her cling all the more, still trying to convince herself that this was, indeed, reality, and that she wouldn't be waking up and discovering it had been a dream anytime soon.

"I'm not going to disappear, Hitomi," Van chuckled suddenly, close to her ear, "You can stop clinging now."

"Oh!" the brunette jerked up, startled and embarrassed. The feeling only intensified when she locked eyes with him for the first time since returning, her cheeks burning red. "Sorry, Van... I was just, well..."

"I know." He gave her a quick squeeze then, his easy smile surprising her somewhat, "I'm glad this isn't a dream, too."

How he could seemingly read her mind, Hitomi didn't know, but it made her tear up all the same, hugging him tightly again and burying her face in his shoulder, laughing and crying all at the same time, "Thank the Gods." She managed to choke out, not bothering to hide anything she was feeling, "I couldn't wait anymore."

Van could only smile, his own cheeks flushed as he hugged her back just as tightly, slowly flying them towards the palace, aiming to meet up with Allen and his crew there.

* * *

He ended up landing just outside the inner courtyard, however, wanting to walk with Hitomi a bit before meeting up with the others. She refused to meet his eyes at first when they landed, and Van could only smirk at how red her face was, feeling some sort of arrogant pleasure at the fact that _he_ had caused that reaction in her.

Still, nothing could ruin his mood right now; he took her hand in his and smiled softly when she finally managed to glance at him, gently tugging her forward to walk beside him.

Hitomi took the moment to really look him over, since, while they were in the air, she'd been far too focused on the fact that he was _real_. She could tell without looking that he'd gotten taller; it was harder to keep pace with him now, whereas four years ago they'd been very close in height. His features had sharpened, his shoulders widened, but overall he was still the same, goofy king she'd fallen in love with.

His hair was still a mess, his clothes just as informal, and his manner had... softened, somewhat. He was still Van, no matter what had changed about him, and that was all Hitomi needed.

Van turned his head then, catching her staring and lifting an eyebrow in question. Hitomi flushed a little, but managed to hold the eye contact this time, smiling a little, "You got taller, Van. _Way_ taller."

"Yup." The raven haired king grinned in response, eyes glinting, "I'm the same height as Allen now, roughly. The man seems a lot less intimidating now."

"Wow." Was all Hitomi could think to say, stupidly, though the way Van's smile softened in response to it made her feel much better.

"Well, we're here." Van nodded to the inner courtyard ahead of them, though he wasn't in time to warn her of the pink-blur that was now streaking towards them.

"HI-TO-MIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Merle shrieked as she tackled the older girl, literally, to the ground, squeezing her in a death-hug, "It's about time you came back! We missed you sooooo much, especially Lord Van! What took you so long?"

"It's..." Hitomi had to pause to loosen the cat girls grip around her middle, sucking in an appreciative breath, "Good to see you to, Merle. Sorry it took me so long; I had some... things to wrap up back on Earth."

"Well, whatever. You're _here_ now! And I doubt Lord Van is going to let you leave him ever, ever again!"

"Merle..." Van warned, though he'd turned an interesting shade of red again. Hitomi merely smiled, blushing and managing to steal another hug from the cat girl.

"Don't worry, Merle, I have no plans of leaving again."

Sudden cheering broke out around them, Hitomi bolting up in surprise, face red yet again. They were surrounded by Allen's crew, Millerna and her family, all smiling and cheering.

Van offered a hand up to both girls, easily pulling them to their feet as Allen broke away from the crowd, smiling.

"It's been a long time, Hitomi," ever the gentleman, he bent and took her hand, kissing the back of it with a grin, "Welcome back to Gaea."

"You better not try anything, Schezar." Van warned jokingly, though Hitomi could tell he didn't mean it in the least since he was grinning.

"Of course not, Fanel. I think the lady proved just whom it was she preferred, years ago." Allen replied smoothly, grinning as well.

Hitomi was left blushing and silent until Millerna came to the rescue, approaching the group with her daughter in her arms and a bright smile on her face.

"I think everyone should _stop_ teasing Hitomi now and go and get some rest. After all, there is a ball to attend tonight, and I'd hate for anyone to be too _tired_ to attend."

"A ball?" Van was the one who questioned it, moving so he was standing beside Hitomi again, "For what occasion?"

Millerna's smile only grew, "Why, to welcome Hitomi back to Gaea, of course!"

* * *

"You seem antsy, Van," Allen noticed, helping his friend sort out his formal garb, "Something wrong?"

"I'd hoped to be doing this back in _Fanelia_." The raven haired king admitted, scowling somewhat, "I'd assumed Hitomi would be appearing there, that night, and that I could just introduce her and finally get the advisors off my back."

"Well, you'll just have to share her for now, Van." Allen smirked, "Just introduce her as your fiancée when you get home."

Van's head snapped up, eyes pinned on his friend and face flushing, "How did you-"

"Please, Van, I know you well enough to know that's your plan." The blond knight finished straightening the kings cape and stepped back, grinning again, "You're asking her tonight, are you not?"

"Who's asking who what?" a familiar voice interrupted them, both men falling silent and turning towards the newcomer.

Hitomi was with Millerna, Dryden and their daughter, though Van's eyes were only on the brunette.

Millerna had dressed her up again, though this dress was much more her style then the pink one she'd forced her into years beforehand. It was a similar cut, except it had 3/4 length sleeves that billowed out around her elbows and was made of a darker emerald fabric. It was a simple dress, since Hitomi had probably refused to wear anything overtly fancy, but it fit her perfectly. She'd also pinned a pretty green flower behind one ear, which brought out the green of her eyes all the more.

"Hitomi..." he breathed, unable to say much more. The girl in turn flushed a deeper red, jittery in the finery she was unused to.

"I look silly, don't I?" she asked, laughing a little nervously, "I told Millerna that fancy dresses really don't suit me, but she insisted..."

"Hitomi." He cut her off smoothly, taking her hand and kissing the back of it, grinning a little at how it had shut her up completely, "You look beautiful."

Millerna and Dryden shared an amused look at the couples actions, the princess clearing her throat quietly and smiling when they turned to look at her, "Well, it's time for the ball. Shall we go?"

"Of course, princess." Van agreed, stepping to the side to allow the royal couple by before offering his arm to Hitomi, smiling when she took it after a moment's hesitation, "You'll be fine. Just stay calm."

Hitomi could only nod, stomach a twisted knot of butterflies. Not only because she was with Van, but because she was about to be reintroduced to Gaean society, the world that she had helped save four years before.

She could only hope the reaction wouldn't be too ridiculous.

"Princess Millerna and Prince Dryden with their daughter, Princess Hitomi." She could hear the announcer crying before them, her grip on Van's arm tightening.

"Allen Schezar, Knight of Caeli, and Celena Schezar."

"Duke Freid."

"King Van Fanel, of Fanelia, and Lady Hitomi Kanzaki, the seer of the Mystic Moon."

The ballroom fell silent, and Hitomi froze as she felt hundreds of eyes land on her, staring. Once they finally registered exactly what had been said, the people gathered broke out in cheers and applause, clearly remembering the part she had played in the war four years ago.

Hitomi blushed, but a gentle squeeze on her arm from Van brought her back to reality, sharing a tiny smile with him before carefully descending the stairs and moving down into the room of people, sharing brief greetings and smiles with everyone there, remembering yet another of the things she'd loved about Gaea; the people.

* * *

Three hours and she didn't even know how many dances and people and greetings later, Hitomi was ready to pass out. Though she loved Millerna to death and knew that she had only done this out of respect and friendship with the seer, Hitomi honestly wished she was back in Fanelia with just Van and Merle, sleeping.

That was another reason she was annoyed. She hadn't gotten to spend any time alone with Van since they'd arrived back at the palace. She'd been able to stay _with_ him, sure, but there was always a number of people around them at the ball, so there hadn't been any peace or time to just talk.

It was making her tired and grumpy, and she'd started to lean on Van a little more, suddenly very sleepy. Van noticed and excused himself from the lord he'd been conversing with, leading Hitomi a little away from the crowd.

"Are you alright, Hitomi?" he questioned quietly, the brunette nodding sleepily against his shoulder.

"Just tired." She assured him, "and it's really, _really_ stuffy and crowded in here. Not exactly where I'd like to be, at the moment."

"I agree." Van smiled a little, nodding behind them, "Want to take a walk in the gardens? Would probably be much quieter."

"That sounds awesome." Hitomi agreed, letting him lead her away from the people and the stuffy ballroom and out into the moonlit night, unaware of the knowing smiles of their friends that followed behind them.

They walked for a while in silence, just comfortable in each other's presence without having to say anything.

They didn't stop until they had reached the centre of the gardens, at the large fountain that sat there, its statue spewing water into the bowl below.

"Feeling better?" Van asked quietly, smiling at the girl on his arm. Hitomi could feel her cheeks heating up again, unused to actually being _with_ him, but loving the feeling.

She nodded, smiling back, "Definitely. It's nice to see everyone again, of course, but that was a little overwhelming."

"I'm glad." Van turned then, pulling the brunette girl into his arms and holding her close, sighing into her hair, "To tell you the truth, I was rather annoyed with Millerna for arranging this. I wanted to have you to myself."

"Still bad at sharing, I see." Hitomi joked, though she hugged him back just as tightly, admitting, "I wanted to spend time with you, to, Van, just with you. You... _are_ the main reason I came back, after all."

"Then..." Van paused, and she could hear him swallow deep in his throat, pulling back to stare down at her, "Let me say this, before I mess it up _again_."

"What-?"

"I love you, Hitomi. I have since... well, since I met you, I think." He looked so serious she could feel her heart pounding, thrilled by what he had finally admitted, "Don't ever leave me again. Marry me, Hitomi. Be my queen and stay with me."

"I love you to, Van." Hitomi was nearly in tears, but she was smiling brighter then she'd ever smiled before, laughing, "Of course I'll marry you. I'm not leaving you ever, ever again."

All the tension rushed out of Van in a moment, and his smile mirrored hers, eyes bright in the waning moonlight, "Thank the gods." And then he kissed her, for the first time, and it was simple and sweet and over far too quickly, but it sealed them together for the rest of their lives.


	7. Chapter 7: Coming FullCircle

**Authors Note:** Heeeeeeeey I said I would update quickly this time, didn't I? :3 I'm thinking this is the last chapter, so I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this little fic! I dearly hope that it lived up to whatever expectations you may have had, and that it is a continuation to Escaflowne that you find worthy of the original material.

Thank you all for accompanying me along this adventure, and, if you happen to be interested, please continue to follow along with me with my stories in the Jak fandom (all usually linked to Through Another's Eyes (TAE), and all focussing on my OC, Tera) or with whatever else I may end up writing.

With that, adieu, and enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Coming Full-Circle**

Hitomi stood at one of the bigger windows of the Crusade, hands against the glass as she stared out at the scenery passing by, taking in everything that she had been unable to during the war. Her eyes were bright, smile soft, and she felt so serene that nothing could have bothered her at that particular moment in time.

Not that she complained when two strong arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her back against a familiar chest and squeezed, just lightly, by the owner of said arms. No, Hitomi didn't complain about Van's quiet presence. She just smiled wider, leaned back against him, and let her left hand fall from the glass to rest on his arm, ring glinting in the sunlight that hit it as they both stared out at the country passing them, quiet and content.

They had left Asturia two days ago, bidding Millerna and the rest goodbye for the time being, eager to return to Fanelia and set things straight.

"I'll be seeing you soon, I'm sure," Millerna had whispered secretively, grinning wickedly, "I have no doubt that Van will have the wedding as soon as possible. He'll probably be stealing you away as soon as it's over, too."

"_Millerna_!" Hitomi had hissed, turning red even as she tried to deny that anything inappropriate would be happening anytime soon.

_It wouldn't be inappropriate, though._ She mused now, staring out at the clear sky and lush farmlands, _We'll be married. Nineteen is kind of young back home, sure, but here it's probably seen as quite old..._

"Something wrong, Hitomi?" Van questioned quietly, grip tightening a little when she shook her head, leaning further into him.

"Just thinking." She replied honestly, still smiling softly, "Do you think your people will be shocked?"

"My people? No. My _advisors_? Yes."

"They'll all pass out from the shock, I hope."

The couple turned towards the familiar voice, finding a certain pink haired cat-girl crouched nearby wearing a huge smirk.

"Be nice, Merle, some of them helped my parents create the Fanelia we know today."

"Yeah, but that doesn't give them the right to be such stuck up prudes!" Merle huffed, grin going wide, "They're going to freak out, I bet."

* * *

And 'freak out' they did. The Crusade landed amongst a large crowd of people in the main square of Fanelia, every person except the advisors knowing who was inside the aircraft.

The main hatch lowered and Allen stepped to the front, bowing to the people before descending quickly, wanting to be out of the way once the spectacle began.

When Van appeared the crowd remained respectfully silent, but as soon as Hitomi came into view on his arm the murmuring began, no one quite brave enough to cheer just yet.

"Lord Van, we welcome you home." The head advisor greeted, stepping towards the gangplank and bowing, "However, may we ask whom the lady on your arm is, my lord?"

"You know who she is." The raven haired king replied with a smirk, loving the startled look on the advisors faces."

"I-I assure you, my lord, we do not," the advisor tried again, clearly annoyed with such a response, "A proper introduction is in order, is it not?"

"If you do not know her, then you are one of very few within this crowd." Van offered Hitomi an encouraging smile before turning to his people with a serious look, eyes bright, "She is Hitomi Kanzaki, the seer from the Mystic Moon, and your soon-to-be Queen."

The advisors gasps were drowned out by the roar of the crowd as they cheered their approval, applause ringing loud and clear. Even the emissaries from Basram were clapping, the princess Leila cheering along with the rest of the crowd. Mentally, Hitomi agreed with what Merle had whispered to her; that Leila had no real interest in Van and had simply wanted an excuse to explore outside of her own country.

Whatever the case, Hitomi couldn't keep from blushing as Van led her down the ramp and out into the crowd, the people parting respectfully even as they continued to cheer. She didn't recall having made this _big_ of an impact on the people four years beforehand, especially since she'd barely spent any time in Fanelia due to Zaibach's unfortunate attack.

"They're so happy." She whispered to Van, grip on his arm tight, "What did I do that they remember me so well?"

"You helped save Gaea, Hitomi. Anyone would remember that." He turned his smile on her then, one so sincere she felt her heart speed up, "And you came back to me. You've made me happy, and so _they_ are happy. The people of Fanelia remember you, Hitomi, whether you think you deserve that remembrance or not."

The brunette could only nod, happy but still somewhat surprised. She was nearly in tears by the time they reached the castle, moved by the care that the people so obviously had for their king and for herself. She only hoped she could be the queen that these people so deserved.

"Have the rooms been prepared?" Van questioned a servant when they entered the castle, still keeping a tight grip on Hitomi's arm.

The servant nodded, bowing with a small smile, "Yes, Lord Van, everything has been arranged as you instructed before you left."

"Good, thank you. This way, Hitomi." The raven haired king turned to a different hall, leading her down it with Merle trailing a bit behind.

"What was that about?"

"I left a few instructions behind when Allen and I left for Asturia. The main one was to prepare rooms for you, since I thought you would want your own space, at least for now." Van was still smiling, and Hitomi blushed yet again when he turned to her, eyes brighter then she had ever seen them before, "They're right next to mine, so if you ever need anything, just knock."

"O-" Hitomi cut herself off with a yawn, covering her mouth with a hand, "-kay."

"Tired?" Van chuckled quietly when she nodded, leading her to the door that was obviously hers, "Merle will help you set a few things up tonight, but I think you should sleep as soon as possible. We have a lot to do in the next few days."

"I know." Hitomi smiled, happy despite how sleepy she felt, "Good night, Van."

The raven haired king smiled and bent to kiss her forehead, murmuring "Good night," before leaving the girls to their own devices.

"Well then, Hitomi." Merle piped up, opening the door to the rooms and motioning inside with a grin, "Shall we get you set up?"

* * *

The following week passed by almost too quickly, they were all so busy with preparations for the wedding. Though Hitomi wished her mother could be there, at least for the ceremony, she knew better then to think they could bring her there. The pendant had only ever worked for Van and herself; she doubted it would even react to a request that was not involved with transporting they themselves.

Hitomi had barely gotten to see Van, though they did spend a few hours in the evening together every night and took meals together. He was busy setting up all the paperwork and ceremonial aspects while Merle dragged Hitomi to almost every dress-maker in Fanelia, trying to find the perfect garb to wear under the ceremonial robes of marriage.

They eventually found the perfect dress in a tiny little shop on the edge of the main city, down a little cobblestone street that held only the shop and a quaint little cafe of sorts. The owner and seamstress was an elderly woman flocked by four children, all staring in awe at the brunette as she entered with Merle.

"My my, tis an honour, lady Hitomi," the woman bowed as deeply as she could manage, grip tightening on her cane, "I must admit, I never expected you to grace my humble little shop."

"Why?" Hitomi couldn't help but ask, glancing around, "Your work is beautiful."

"Well, thank you, my lady, but my shop is fairly isolated in this grand city of Fanelia. I'd thought it too far out of the main streets for any lady of high standing to ever take notice."

Hitomi merely smiled and assured her that it was far from being too much out of the way. She and Merle browsed the little shop, conversing with the woman and her grandchildren the whole time, until they found the perfect gown for the occasion.

It was dark green, as was best suited to Hitomi, but it had a fuller skirt then anything she had worn before, not to mention a long train and long, trailing sleeves.

"I'll have it delivered the day before the wedding, so that any final alterations can be made right away." The old woman promised, wrinkles crinkling when she smiled, "I wish you and our king the best of luck, lady Hitomi."

"Thank you, Kaede. I hope to see you and your family at the wedding."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world, lady Hitomi."

* * *

The day came sooner than anyone was expecting, and all of Fanelia was in a mad dash to get everything ready and set by the appointed time. The castle was a flurry of activity, servants and noble's alike running every which way to make sure everything was perfect.

By the time she was finally dressed and ready, Hitomi was so nervous she felt as though she were about to throw up. Everyone around her was making such a fuss about everything that she didn't know what to do or say, instead forcing herself to sit in a corner of her room and breathe in deeply, trying to ignore the people rushing around her.

When it was finally time, Allen tapped her on the shoulder and smiled encouragingly, offering his arm. Hitomi did her best to smile back, but knew it came out half-hearted. Allen would be giving her away in the stead of her departed and absent father, since he seemed best for the role.

As she was lead out of the castle and down to the procession line, Hitomi steadied herself, knowing that everything would be fine. Nervous as she was, this was what she wanted, and nothing would keep her from Van. Not this time.

Music played in the background as Allen escorted her to the platform in the middle of the city, surrounded by the citizens of Fanelia and more than a few guests from other countries. She spotted Millerna and Dryden with Cheid and their daughter, as well as Kaede and her family. She spotted more than a few people that she remembered from the time of the war, and it calmed her further, knowing that so many people supported what was happening.

When they finally reached the platform, she nearly melted at the look on Van's face, hardly daring to believe that this was actually happening.

Allen stepped back and bowed, grinning even as he retreated to his place with Millerna and the others, Van moving to take her hand in his place. The smile he gave her then chased away all of her worries and fears, and Hitomi returned the smile completely, turning in sync with him to the priest that would be performing the ceremony.

They vowed to love each other and to help each other for the rest of their lives, to always be there, no matter what happened. Hitomi vowed to do her best to rule alongside Van, to always take care of their people, to always be fair and just in her decisions regarding the country and the people.

She was crowned Queen with a tiara more sparkly then anything she had ever seen before, then introduced to the people as their new monarch and Van's wife. Hitomi could barely hear the cheers of the people, because she was far too busy being swept into Van's arms and kissed till she could barely breathe.

Because this happiness was hers, despite having done very little to deserve it.

* * *

**Six Years Later, The Mystic Moon**

Yuri Kanzaki sat in the living room of her small house with a cup of tea and an old photo album, the TV on and providing background noise.

The older woman flipped the page and smiled, taking a small sip of her tea. Spread before her were photos of Hitomi and her friends while they were in high school. Shots of them in track meets, shots from picnics and trips and functions.

The next page was all shots from the summer festival they'd attended two years before Hitomi had left, the two younger girls dressed in bright-coloured yukata and holding painted fans, grinning at the camera.

She missed her daughter dearly, but knew she was happy where she was. She'd tried to phone the cell phone she'd given her to take with her, but it had responded with a 'no such user' comment and she'd never tried it again.

Sighing a little, Yuri sipped at her tea once more, continuing to flip through the photos. Oh well. Life was peaceful, at least, and she knew that something would happen, soon enough. Hitomi had promised to visit, after all.

The brunette jumped a little when a sudden wind blew in from the window, catching the curtains and wind chimes and setting everything wild before disappearing as suddenly as it had come.

It was only after a few seconds of the wind being gone that she realised there were voices coming from her backyard, making her heart thump. _It couldn't be._

"Everyone in one piece?" an unfamiliar male voice asked, a chorus of children's voices answering."

"Yes, Daddy!"

"We're fine!"

"Where are we?"

"Folken, Mama already told you!" a girls voice 'hmped', "We're on the Mystic Moon!"

"Yeah, dummy, listen!" another voice piped up, almost identical to the first.

"Naria, Eriya, stop teasing your brother." This voice caught her complete attention, Yuri slowly standing and making her way over to the door, "We can't stay for too long, so let's head inside, alright? Be on your best behaviour!"

"Yes, mama!"

Yuri finally managed to reach the doorway, clutching the frame and staring at what awaited her gaze in the backyard.

The man she had heard talking was tall and lean with raven black hair and almost red eyes, wearing the garb of a king. The boy was about half the man's height, though he shared his hair colour. His eyes, on the other hand, were brilliant green. The two girls –twins, by the looks of it- both had lovely brown hair, though one had green eyes and the other mahogany.

What had her attention was the woman, an older, more mature version of the daughter she hadn't seen in six years.

"Hitomi." She whispered, a hand coming up to rest over her mouth in surprise. Hearing the faint word, the brunette woman turned towards her, face lighting up with a bright smile.

"Hi, Mom. We came to visit."

**The End**


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